Special forces soldier demobilization: Starting from the county government compound, a meteoric rise

On the evening the groundbreaking ceremony ended, Liu Ming received a phone call that was both unexpected and perfectly logical.

The call was from Zhao Gang, the mayor's secretary, whose tone was almost obsequious.

"Secretary Liu, Mayor Lu said he's free tonight and would like to invite you... to a casual dinner to catch up."

When the mayor uttered the words "casual meal," it meant that it was no ordinary meal.

The venue was chosen to be "Hall No. 1" on the top floor of the municipal party committee guesthouse, a space not open to the public but reserved for receiving leaders at the vice-provincial level or above. The menu was simple: four dishes and a soup, with a home-style flavor, but the chef was a state banquet-level expert invited from Beijing.

The wine wasn't some fancy Moutai, but a simple bottle of "internal supply" yellow wine without even a label, warmed in a white porcelain pot, exuding a rich rice aroma.

There was no secretary, and no escort.

In the large private room, there were only Lu Chen and Liu Ming.

Today, Lu Chen wasn't wearing the suit that represented power. Instead, he was wearing a simple white shirt with the cuffs rolled up and frameless glasses perched on his nose. He didn't look like a mayor with great power, but rather like a refined university professor.

"Xiao Ming, sit down."

Lu Chen personally poured Liu Ming a cup of warm yellow wine, his smile gentle and friendly, without the slightest hint of official airs.

"How's it going? Are you settling in well with the Youth League committee? Those kids haven't been causing you any trouble, have they?"

"It's alright, they're all young people, it's normal for them to have some personality." Liu Ming smiled, picked up her wine glass, and clinked it with Lu Chen's.

"Senior brother, this toast is for you. If it weren't for you going against everyone's wishes and rescuing me from that mess in Qingyun County, I'd probably still be outsmarting those old foxes."

"Don't flatter me."

Lu Chen took a sip of wine, shook his head, and looked at Lu Chen with a mixture of admiration and helplessness in his eyes.

"I brought you up here so you could hone your sharpness in a different place, not so you could throw away your scabbard and start fighting with bayonets right away."

He was referring to Liu Ming bypassing the Municipal Development and Reform Commission and directly reporting the matter to the provincial level.

Although the outcome was positive and the project was successfully implemented, from the perspective of official "rules," Liu Ming's act of reporting to higher authorities without authorization was tantamount to humiliating the municipal party committee and government, especially him as mayor.

"Senior brother, is this my fault?" Liu Ming shrugged, looking completely innocent. "It's that idiot Qian Wanli who's got his hands dirty and insisted on blocking my way. If I didn't move him out of the way, did I expect him to give me a red envelope for the New Year?"

"You..." Lu Chen pointed at him, both amused and exasperated, "Your mouth is still the same as it was in school, never letting up even when you're right."

He sighed, his tone becoming serious.

"However, don't get too cocky. Qian Wanli is just a nobody, a fool being used as a pawn. The people who really want to see you fail and make you unable to stay in Ningzhou are still ahead of you."

Liu Ming's eyes narrowed slightly.

He knew the real show was about to begin.

Lu Chen poured him a drink, his voice very low.

"The waters of Ningzhou run much deeper than you imagine. There are not only local factions led by the provincial secretary, but also powerful local families like the Ouyang family, whose roots have been intertwined for decades. The various forces are intertwined, and beneath the surface, there are many undercurrents."

"Although you've temporarily gained the upper hand this time by leveraging the influence of the Nangong Group and getting in touch with the provincial authorities, the tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind. You've now become a thorn in the side of many people."

Liu Ming didn't speak, but listened quietly.

He had anticipated these circumstances. But what he wanted to know was Lu Chen's attitude.

"You don't need to worry about the Ouyang family for now." Lu Chen seemed to see through his thoughts. "Although Ouyang Zhen is a veteran, he's all bark and no bite. As long as you're not seriously injured, he won't dare to do anything to you. As for that spoiled brat Ouyang Feng, don't take him seriously either; he's just a clown."

"but……"

Lu Chen put down his wine glass, his gaze becoming more serious than ever before.

"In Ningzhou, there is another force, a force that even I find very troublesome."

He stretched out his finger and slowly wrote a name on the table with tea.

——**Black Dragon**.

"Who is this?" Liu Ming asked.

"The Emperor of Ningzhou's Underworld..."

Lu Chen's voice carried a deep sense of apprehension.

"This person has an unknown background and is extremely ruthless. In just five years, he unified all the underground forces in Ningzhou, monopolizing almost all shady businesses, from casinos and loan sharks to demolition and sand and gravel."

"What's even more terrifying is..."

Lu Chen leaned closer and lowered his voice even further.

"He is more than just a gangster boss."

"He is still many people's... **white glove**."

"Many of the dirty work that we can't handle openly, such as forced demolitions, suppressing dissent, and even some... darker things, are done through him."

"He's like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows of the bustling city of Ningzhou. If you try to touch him, you'll inevitably drag down the powerful figures behind him—figures you simply can't afford to offend."

Liu Ming's brows furrowed slightly.

"You can't even afford to offend you?"

"That's right." Lu Chen gave a bitter smile, making no attempt to hide it. "I've been in Ningzhou for three years, and it's not that I haven't thought about taking action against him. But every time I make a move, the province... will call."

The province.

It's the provincial level again.

The name that had tripped him up in Qingyun County instantly flashed into Liu Ming's mind.

—Luo Binwang.

"Senior brother, are you telling me all this tonight to tell me to stay away from this 'black dragon'?" Liu Ming looked at Lu Chen with deep eyes.

"No."

Lu Chen shook his head, a long-awaited sharpness flashing in his eyes behind his glasses.

"I'm not telling you to stay away from him."

"I want to remind you that if you want to truly make a name for yourself in Ningzhou and really put your 'dragon-slaying skills' to use..."

"This 'black dragon' is a mountain you can't get around."

"Indeed... the best... pledge of allegiance you gave me, your senior brother."

Lu Chen stared intently at Liu Ming.

"Xiao Ming, didn't you want to know whose side I, as the mayor, am on?"

I can tell you now.

"I'm on your side."

"We are all people who want to make this sky bluer."

"However, there are some things that are inconvenient for me to do due to my position."

"And you..."

Lu Chen smiled, a smile like that of an old fox who had spotted its prey.

"...I don't have that concern."

Liu Ming smiled too.

He finally understood.

Tonight's dinner wasn't about giving pointers or trying to win someone over.

This is a... **deal**.

Lu Chen needs a knife.

A sharp knife that can help him sever those dirty chains of interests that he dares not sever openly.

Liu Ming needed a strong backer in the Ningzhou officialdom who could protect and support him.

The two hit it off immediately.

"it is good."

Liu Ming picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The mellow yellow wine, when swallowed, carried a bold and intense flavor, like strong liquor.

He looked at Lu Chen with a firm and confident gaze.

"Don't worry, senior brother."

"It doesn't matter if he's a black dragon or a venomous snake."

"As long as he dares to block my way..."

"What I'm best at is dealing with this kind of... 'dirty' stuff."